Raleigh -SHOD-1: Special Highway Overlay District -1 Regulations
In the City of Raleigh, the -SHOD-1: Special Highway Overlay District -1 modifies base zoning standards by requiring a minimum 50-foot wide protective yard along major access corridors and a minimum gross site size of 2 acres for most developments. The overlay limits building heights to a maximum of 80 feet or five stories and prohibits all off-premise signs to protect the natural scenic beauty of the municipality’s primary transportation routes. Furthermore, these protective yards often serve as primary tree conservation areas, requiring specific planting densities that exceed standard landscaping requirements.
Purpose and Applicability
The -SHOD-1: Special Highway Overlay District -1 is established by the City of Raleigh to protect and preserve natural scenic beauty along designated major access corridors. The overlay typically extends 1,000 to 1,500 feet deep from the outer edge of the highway right-of-way [Section 5.3.1.A]. In any instance where the -SHOD-1 standards conflict with the standards of the underlying base zoning district, the -SHOD-1 requirements control [Section 5.1.1.A].
Use and Intensity Modifications
The City of Raleigh imposes specific restrictions on land use and development intensity within the -SHOD-1 overlay that are more stringent than base district regulations:
- Prohibited Uses: Off-premise signs (billboards) are strictly prohibited regardless of the allowances in the underlying district [Section 5.3.1.B].
- Minimum Site Size: The minimum gross site size is 2 acres. This does not apply to detached, attached, townhouse, or apartment buildings, cottage courts, or care facilities [Section 5.3.1.C].
- Unified Development: All lots within the -SHOD-1 must be developed according to a unified plan addressing landscaping, access, parking, loading, noise, and building placement [Section 5.3.1.C.3].
Protective Yard Requirements
The most significant modification to the City of Raleigh base districts is the requirement for a wide, heavily landscaped protective yard. This yard must be located within the outer perimeter of the lot, parallel to the property boundary [Section 7.2.4.C].
| Location Type | Required Minimum Width |
|---|---|
| Abutting a Major Access Corridor | 50 feet |
| Abutting a Major Access Corridor (with public Marginal Access Street) | 25 feet |
| Intersecting Thoroughfare/Commercial Street (within 200' of intersection) | 50 feet |
On parcels 2 acres or larger, the City of Raleigh requires these protective yards to be established as primary tree conservation areas [Section 5.3.1.D.2].
Planting Standards
If the required yard does not meet the City of Raleigh's minimum tree cover standards (30 square feet of basal area per acre), it must be planted according to the following schedule:
Required Plantings per 100 Lineal Feet
| Plant Type | Required Quantity |
|---|---|
| Deciduous Shade Trees | 7 |
| Evergreen Shade Trees | 3 |
| Understory Trees | 6 |
| Shrubs | 32 |
Source: [Section 5.3.1.F]
Height and Building Standards
The -SHOD-1 overlay functions as a cap on the height allowances of the City of Raleigh's base districts.
| Standard | Modification |
|---|---|
| Maximum Height | The lesser of: The underlying district maximum OR 80 feet / 5 stories. |
| Outdoor Service Facilities | Must be located at least 100 feet from any abutting property line of a dwelling or Residential District. |
| Signage | Limited to tract identification and on-premise signs; off-premise signs prohibited. |
Source: [Section 5.3.1.E, Section 5.3.1.J]
Supplemental Regulations
The City of Raleigh applies additional environmental and aesthetic standards within the -SHOD-1:
- Lighting: All outdoor lighting must be "full cutoff." Illumination cannot exceed 0.4 maintained footcandles at the property line of any lot containing a dwelling or located within a Residential District [Section 5.3.1.I].
- Encroachments: Parking areas, buildings, and most structures are prohibited from encroaching into the required protective yard. Only driveways and pedestrian access ways are generally permitted to cross the yard [Section 5.3.1.D.1.b].
- Expansion Rules: If an existing structure is expanded by 25% or more, the owner must provide a protective yard at least 12 feet wide with 25% of the required plantings. This requirement scales upward as the percentage of expansion increases [Section 5.3.1.H].
Sections Cited
- Section 5.1.1. District Intent Statements
- Section 5.3.1. Special Highway Overlay Districts (-SHOD-)
- Section 7.2.4. Protective Yards
- Section 9.1.4. Tree Conservation Area Allocation